Fear of sudden death or illness taking over my life...

[snowflake293]

I can't shake the fear that something terrible is going to happen. I am worried that I am going to get a phone call and I loved one will have had an accident or will be seriously ill in hospital or worse! I worry mostly about my fiancé and my father. My father has diabetes and had a health scare at Christmas, I had a phone call in the early hours that he had gone into hospital with a suspected heart attack. Thanks be to God he was ok but all the time now I am thinking about him and hoping he will be ok. Every time the phone rings I panic thinking it will be bad news. Every time I see my father I think he is going to tell me some bad news about his health.

My fears have come and gone over the last year or so. I've had one lot of CBT and on the waiting list for 'high intensity' CBT. I am on 150mg Sertraline. I had my tablets increased about 3 weeks ago but I feel vile. I am having disturbing dreams, sweating and feel on edge most of the time. Sometimes I can't work out what's a dream and what actually happened. For example, a few nights I go I dreamt of being in a shop and I really had to think about whether it actually happened or not. Could this be from the Sertraline? I also find myself randomly remembering dreams from ages ago - really strange. I don't like these feelings as they are making me more anxious.

My biggest fear is my fiancé becoming ill or being involved in an accident. I find it hard to relax and concentrate on activities I used to enjoy because the fear is always there in the back of my mind. Every morning when I kiss him goodbye before we leave for work I hug him so tight like I am never going to see him again because in the back of my mind this is what I fear the most! It is so wrong to have this fear all the time.

I am constantly checking my own body and worrying over symptoms. My HA did get better for a while but it has gotten bad again. As well as HA I am also anxious in general over things like time keeping, tidiness, order and control. I hate the feeling of not being in control. Sometimes I feel like I totally zone out and just want to sit in silence. It is bad when this happens when I have company cause normally I am the 'life and soul of the party' so when I am quiet people really notice.

I would never have said I was depressed a few months ago but I feel like my anxiety is really grinding me down now. I just want to get better.

Sorry for the long post...

[sial72]

Hi, sorry you are having such a bad time. I don't know if I am thinking of the wrong medication but doesn't Sertraline have anxiety as a possible side-effect? X

[elysemarie123]

Hi snowflake! I'm sorry you are having a hard time with everything right now. Just remember that you did feel better before and will again.

I also take Sertraline specifically anxiety and it has helped tremendously. However, I still go through bouts of "tough periods" and realize that while the medicine helps me get through the day, it's hasn't solved the long standing problem of what I'm really anxious about. It has made it a lot easier to shut off, however.

I've noticed something about my anxiety (which always comes out as health anxiety) -- I get a LOT more anxious around my period. I can count on having a mild panic attack at least once a month ahah. I chalk this up to my hormones going crazy. Some months are particularly worse than others (this month being a bad one). Have you ever noticed this with yourself?

I also have dreams that I can't distinguish from reality. I don't think it's a side effect from the medicine so much as we are SUPER aware of what is going on in our mind and bodies. I've always had insanely vivid dreams (even before being on sertraline) and will sometimes ask someone about something and then remember it was a dream. I know a lot of people who are jealous of my dreaming because I can even control them (lucid dreaming). Just think of yourself has having a great imagination. :)

Hope this helps!

[sial72]

Elysemarie, last month I had such a bad panic attack I though I was dying, even called an ambulance, next day Period.
Yesterday I was in a terrible state, today Period...so yes, for me definitely a connection

[elysemarie123]

Elysemarie, last month I had such a bad panic attack I though I was dying, even called an ambulance, next day Period.
Yesterday I was in a terrible state, today Period...so yes, for me definitely a connection

Isn't it awful?? I'm sorry you were feeling that crumby! It helps me get through it if I remember that it's because of my period. Another lovely effect of being a woman :weep:

[snowflake293]

Hi, sorry you are having such a bad time. I don't know if I am thinking of the wrong medication but doesn't Sertraline have anxiety as a possible side-effect? X

When I started on Sertraline I found my existing anxiety symptoms got worse for about two weeks. I only started on 50mg a day and it was making me so anxious I was dry-heaving over the toilet bowl in the mornings :scared15:

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:14 ----------


Hi snowflake! I'm sorry you are having a hard time with everything right now. Just remember that you did feel better before and will again.

I also take Sertraline specifically anxiety and it has helped tremendously. However, I still go through bouts of "tough periods" and realize that while the medicine helps me get through the day, it's hasn't solved the long standing problem of what I'm really anxious about. It has made it a lot easier to shut off, however.

I've noticed something about my anxiety (which always comes out as health anxiety) -- I get a LOT more anxious around my period. I can count on having a mild panic attack at least once a month ahah. I chalk this up to my hormones going crazy. Some months are particularly worse than others (this month being a bad one). Have you ever noticed this with yourself?

I also have dreams that I can't distinguish from reality. I don't think it's a side effect from the medicine so much as we are SUPER aware of what is going on in our mind and bodies. I've always had insanely vivid dreams (even before being on sertraline) and will sometimes ask someone about something and then remember it was a dream. I know a lot of people who are jealous of my dreaming because I can even control them (lucid dreaming). Just think of yourself has having a great imagination. :)

Hope this helps!

Thank you :)

I don't have regular periods because I have a Mirena coil. I probably have about 2 or 3 a year randomly. I have Endometriosis which can mess up my hormones and I find that when this flares up my anxiety gets worse so I would certainly think it is related.

Before I had the Mirena coil I definitely got worse around the time of my period. Terrible mood swings and paranoia/oversensitivity.

I am having a bad time at the moment the Endometriosis has flared up so I get physical symptoms from that and worry it is 'something else' e.g pelvic pain = cancer, tiredness = cancer! it is rubbish feeling like this.

I am off work on leave and wanted to do something nice with my fiancé today but instead I have spent all day on the sofa cause I have been so tired. I find I either have bags and bags of energy or I just hit a wall and that's it! Does anyone else experience this with anxiety or whilst on Sertraline?

I find exercise helps and I do about 3 gym classes a week. I eat a reasonably healthy diet but I could probably do with eating a little less(!) I do drink way too much though and I KNOW I shouldn't cause it makes me feel totally 'out of it' whilst on the Sertraline AND it makes my anxiety worse in the long run, but I turn to booze to numb to anxiety and cheer myself up. I know that is not healthy and I try and have at least 2 or 3 days a week where I do not drink at all.